Braun press conference, including video / audio archive

[MadScientist]

IMO Braun used these drugs to recover from an injury, not hit the ball better. The guy has all intentions to stay in Milwaukee long term, the one thing I would say is Braun has a long term deal with us and he has to produce like pre-PED or this contract will absolutely cripple the franchise.

 

I'm over the disgust, lets start playing again!!!!

I have trouble believing that he just used them to recover from injury. I want him to do right, both in character and performance, but right now words don't mean much.

 

One thing that really bothers me is that the Brewers are stuck with his contract. If the PED's gave him an edge and he doesn't deliver anymore the Brewers trapped despite Braun signing it under essentially false pretexts. I'd like to see MLB impose a rule where all contracts for players suspended for PED's become non-guaranteed for a period of 1 year following the end of the suspension. Teams could immediately cut a player, or give him a season to prove it wasn't the PED's making him play well. if after 1 year the team does not cut the player the rest of the contract would become guaranteed again.

[3and2Fastball]

I suppose it is possible that Braun has been using PED's his whole career. He has passed every test for several years though. If he was using PEDs and passing tests in 2006-2010 there is no reason to believe that won't continue, thus his playing level won't go down.

 

It is also possible that 50-70% of MLB players use PED's.

 

I can only go by the facts as they present themselves

[thebruce44]

Well there is an easy way to not get "vilified" by the media. How about just living an honest and fairly straight forward life? I have a hard time labeling people who get paid millions of dollars in the entertainment business (sports, movies, whatever?) and then get in trouble by breaking the law, lying, cheating, etc as victims of the media.

 

 

Nope. See RGIII getting his chracter questioned now by ESPN while Cam is the new golden boy. It doesn't matter what you do when this much money is involved, the reporters need their narratives true or fabricated.

[brewtank34]

Listening to the press conference, I knew that people were going to judge him moving forward for not answering the questions about his past. After the first question/answer regarding his past, I was upset with him for not answering it because I am a fan of the game/him and want answers. However, as the press conference continued, I changed my opinion on the matter due to the following. Yes, I am a fan and I want answers. Ryan, as a baseball player and an individual has a choice in his efforts to move forward. 1) Divulge info on the past so that media/fans have the answers and can move forward with him. 2) Don't say anything about the past and request that media/fans respect that and move forward together.

He obviously chose the second option and this is his right. We the fans feel that he "owes" it to us to inform us of the past. Sorry folks. He doesn't owe us that. It's not in his contract to provide/disclose information to the media/fans at will. He has his own personal rights to keep information private. I for one will respect that. Am I bummed that we won't get the whole truth, yes....but hey, you can't always get want you want.

It will take me a short time to really cheer for him. He sounds very regretful and remorseful and in time, I'll most likely forgive him for causing me and Brewer Nation such heartache and pain. As long as he continues to prove that he's not taking PEDs and is a positive aspect in the clubhouse and community...I personally feel that we the public can not "fully' chastise him forever. But, that's my opinion and I know that others will hold him in negative light for the rest of his career and the rest of their fandoms. In time, I will choose to not waste my time on stressing over it. For alas...this is just baseball. He is not a role model. He is not a hero. He is a baseball player. An entertainer. He is not perfect, nor are any of us fans. Due to that, I feel that we need to allow him to continue Entertaining us with his baseball skills...and hopefully bring back some much needed power/offense that the Brewers were needing from him last year.

[Outlander]

I'll wear my #8 to games though!

I wish I didn't get rid of my Mark Loretta jersey.

[Baldkin]

I guess, I've never understood the rage over steroids.

 

Gosh darned him for wanting to be the best and healthiest player he could possibly be.

Gosh darned him for lying and saving himself, oh, 10ish Million in endorsement deals.

[craigharmann]

Here's the way I'm looking at it. If the Cardinals choose to overlook Jhonny Peralta and his PED use, then so can I. Because, if it's good enough for the Cardinals, it's good enough for me. They're the classiest team in baseball.

[thebruce44]

I guess, I've never understood the rage over steroids.

 

Gosh darned him for wanting to be the best and healthiest player he could possibly be.

Gosh darned him for lying and saving himself, oh, 10ish Million in endorsement deals.

 

Getting off topic, but I agree on PEDs for recovery. Its hard for me to get mad at a player for wanting to use the best medical treatment that's available to stay on the field in the case of injury or to recover faster between games and workouts.

[TURBO]

I'm over it!

 

I was a Ryan Braun fan before this nonsense happened, and still am!

 

Are fans going to cheer him on when he knocks one out of the park, or will they sit quietly in disgust?

 

I'm gonna cheer like cray, like I have always done...

 

I'm not going to disillusion myself into believing that Ryan Braun is the only player using illegal substances. He just happened to get caught.

 

GO #8!!!!!!

[trwi7]

Yes it will be 2015 before i wear my #8 shirt let him prove that he not a liar and wants to make things right.

 

He is a liar though. He will still be a liar in 2015. Just like everyone here is a liar, not to the same scale and most likely not to the public but I just can't get mad at someone for lying when I would do the exact same thing in that situation and I'm willing to bet everyone here would too.

 

That's why there's the arbitration process, to lie to get the side to agree with you. Everyone else in that situation with millions of dollars and their reputation on the line would do the exact same thing.

[jerichoholicninja]

Here's the way I'm looking at it. If the Cardinals choose to overlook Jhonny Peralta and his PED use, then so can I. Because, if it's good enough for the Cardinals, it's good enough for me. They're the classiest team in baseball.

 

End of thread. Someone send this to ESPN and every baseball writer.

[craigharmann]

Here's the way I'm looking at it. If the Cardinals choose to overlook Jhonny Peralta and his PED use, then so can I. Because, if it's good enough for the Cardinals, it's good enough for me. They're the classiest team in baseball.

 

End of thread. Someone send this to ESPN and every baseball writer.

 

Thanks.

[MadScientist]

I guess, I've never understood the rage over steroids.

 

Gosh darned him for wanting to be the best and healthiest player he could possibly be.

Gosh darned him for lying and saving himself, oh, 10ish Million in endorsement deals.

Chemical modification of the body is risky, but effective. If you do not ban it, you effectively require it.

[BrewCrewForever]

Here's the way I'm looking at it. If the Cardinals choose to overlook Jhonny Peralta and his PED use, then so can I. Because, if it's good enough for the Cardinals, it's good enough for me. They're the classiest team in baseball.

 

End of thread. Someone send this to ESPN and every baseball writer.

 

That really was great craigharmann. Post of the day.

[SeriesFinale]

Gosh darned him for lying and saving himself, oh, 10ish Million in endorsement deals.

 

Yeah, it is despicable, isn't it?

 

He cheated and he lied for his own benefit. Period. (And he threw an innocent--although incompetent--person under the bus while doing so, which makes it worse). Problematic to say the least and a major disappointment.

 

I hope he can redeem himself in the long run in deeds on and off the field.

[trwi7]

Pretty much sums it up for me.

[BruisedCrew]

Listening to the press conference, I knew that people were going to judge him moving forward for not answering the questions about his past. After the first question/answer regarding his past, I was upset with him for not answering it because I am a fan of the game/him and want answers. However, as the press conference continued, I changed my opinion on the matter due to the following. Yes, I am a fan and I want answers. Ryan, as a baseball player and an individual has a choice in his efforts to move forward. 1) Divulge info on the past so that media/fans have the answers and can move forward with him. 2) Don't say anything about the past and request that media/fans respect that and move forward together.

He obviously chose the second option and this is his right. We the fans feel that he "owes" it to us to inform us of the past. Sorry folks. He doesn't owe us that. It's not in his contract to provide/disclose information to the media/fans at will. He has his own personal rights to keep information private. I for one will respect that. Am I bummed that we won't get the whole truth, yes....but hey, you can't always get want you want.

It will take me a short time to really cheer for him. He sounds very regretful and remorseful and in time, I'll most likely forgive him for causing me and Brewer Nation such heartache and pain. As long as he continues to prove that he's not taking PEDs and is a positive aspect in the clubhouse and community...I personally feel that we the public can not "fully' chastise him forever. But, that's my opinion and I know that others will hold him in negative light for the rest of his career and the rest of their fandoms. In time, I will choose to not waste my time on stressing over it. For alas...this is just baseball. He is not a role model. He is not a hero. He is a baseball player. An entertainer. He is not perfect, nor are any of us fans. Due to that, I feel that we need to allow him to continue Entertaining us with his baseball skills...and hopefully bring back some much needed power/offense that the Brewers were needing from him last year.

 

I agree with you, and would add this to it.

 

Braun has nothing to gain by trying to answer some of those questions about what happened in the past.

 

First, people who are not inclined to give him any benefit of the doubt aren't going to believe him anyway.

 

Second, anything he might say about his past could adversely affect him in terms of the lawsuit against him, any other actions that might be brought in the future, or further sanctions by MLB.

 

Finally, telling the whole truth would likely involve other people. If he has been taking PEDs for years, but only tested positive once, that just subjects the MLB drug testing program to more ridicule.

 

I think the key statement from this event was when Braun said that digging into those past events would not be productive for him, the Brewers, MLB, or anyone else.

 

I completely agree with him, and the sooner people accept this and move on, the better off everyone will be.

[Thurston Fluff]

The thing I don't get about the people who want him to tell all is what that is supposed to accomplish. Is knowing how he did it, when and why somehow going to make things better? Knowing he cheated is enough for me. I don't see how that changes by the public knowing the details. I am just guessing here but, to me, it's more like people want to know so they can act outraged or maybe so they can see him squirm in some attempt to feel he was punished enough or something. Either that or it's a watching a train wreck sort of thing.

[trwi7]

The people who want him to tell all just want something else to talk about. Oh this is how he claims it happened, why it happened and when it happened but he already lied to us before so he's probably going to lie to us again. That's what the media wants, that's what gets ratings and that's why they want it to happen. It creates a story that they want to exist so they can help their ratings.

[Mass Haas]

Interesting from the Rumors Forum (discuss there if you wish)

[Patrick425]

I guess, I've never understood the rage over steroids.

 

Gosh darned him for wanting to be the best and healthiest player he could possibly be.

Gosh darned him for lying and saving himself, oh, 10ish Million in endorsement deals.

 

Getting off topic, but I agree on PEDs for recovery. Its hard for me to get mad at a player for wanting to use the best medical treatment that's available to stay on the field in the case of injury or to recover faster between games and workouts.

 

 

Why do people believe that the only reason Braun took PEDs was to avoid or recover from injuries. Because he said so?

 

Also, so it's ok to lie and cheat as long as the reason you are doing it is to make money? Really? Are these the values we want to endorse in our society?

[torts]

I guess, I've never understood the rage over steroids.

 

Gosh darned him for wanting to be the best and healthiest player he could possibly be.

Gosh darned him for lying and saving himself, oh, 10ish Million in endorsement deals.

 

Getting off topic, but I agree on PEDs for recovery. Its hard for me to get mad at a player for wanting to use the best medical treatment that's available to stay on the field in the case of injury or to recover faster between games and workouts.

 

 

Why do people believe that the only reason Braun took PEDs was to avoid or recover from injuries. Because he said so?

 

Also, so it's ok to lie and cheat as long as the reason you are doing it is to make money? Really? Are these the values we want to endorse in our society?

 

lying and cheating to make money have been in our society for decades, its already been endorsed by million and billionaires

[Baldkin]

 

Also, so it's ok to lie and cheat as long as the reason you are doing it is to make money? Really? Are these the values we want to endorse in our society?

 

Who's endorsing anything?

I would do exactly the same thing in that situation. I think those who are acting holier than thou and act like they wouldn't are lying just as bad as Braun did.

[Warning Track Power]

I think those who are acting holier than thou and act like they wouldn't are lying just as bad as Braun did.

Exactly. While Braun is certainly no saint in the situation, the self-righteousness of baseball writers and other baseball players regarding the situation is intolerable to me.

[thebruce44]

I guess, I've never understood the rage over steroids.

 

Gosh darned him for wanting to be the best and healthiest player he could possibly be.

Gosh darned him for lying and saving himself, oh, 10ish Million in endorsement deals.

 

Getting off topic, but I agree on PEDs for recovery. Its hard for me to get mad at a player for wanting to use the best medical treatment that's available to stay on the field in the case of injury or to recover faster between games and workouts.

 

 

Why do people believe that the only reason Braun took PEDs was to avoid or recover from injuries. Because he said so?

 

Also, so it's ok to lie and cheat as long as the reason you are doing it is to make money? Really? Are these the values we want to endorse in our society?

 

1- I didn't say I believe Braun did or didn't take PEDs for recovery.

2- I didn't say its ok to lie and cheat to make money.

 

That being said, I think its most likely he did use PEDs for recovery but nobody except him knows for sure. And while I don't think its ok to lie and cheat to make money there are far more things to get upset about in MLB and the world around us.

 

For example, have you ever driven faster than the speed limit? I have, I do it all the time. And if a cop pulls me over I'll lie about how fast I was going to try to get out of a ticket. Why do I lie, cheat, and break the rules? Same reason as everyone else, in some areas the speed limit is set too low and I want to get wherever faster that what someone in my state arbitrarily deemed allowable. Does this make me a bad person? Does it make all the other people who speed, likely yourself included, bad people?

 

Is what Braun did worse? Most will probably say totally different situations, but I think they are pretty similar. An arbitrary limit was set on what constitutes a PED in baseball (creatine, caffeine, amino acids, protein, NO2 = ok vs ephedrine, marijuana, HGH, IGF, ect = bad) and some players want to get there faster with safe alternatives the general public is able to use. Sure, MLB players signed a contract agreeing to the arbitrary rules, but I signed one too when I got a drivers license just like you.

 

My point is, I don't think players should take PEDs and I don't think they should lie about it. But its hard to say I wouldn't given their situation and I am not going to hold the decision to partake and lie about it against someone forever, especially if its a one time situation or if its lesser drugs (HGH vs Stanozolol for example).